After completing the mission, Minato and the others quickly returned to Konoha. He didn't let Mikoto and Nagakaze join the mission report; he went alone. He needed to have a good talk with Shimura Danzō.
"Mission accomplished. Will you rest for a few days, or continue with missions?" Seeing Minato return, Sarutobi Hiruzen immediately asked with a smile.
"I don't know, I'll see." Minato didn't know when he'd go out on a mission, as he had important business to attend to.
After finishing the mission report, Minato asked Sarutobi Hiruzen to summon Shimura Danzō.
"Why are you looking for him?" Although Hiruzen was surprised, he didn't refuse.
"Hokage-ojisan, when you summon him, please don't mention me," Minato quickly added upon seeing Hiruzen agree.
Hiruzen nodded. He didn't ask further. He'd know what Minato was up to when Danzō arrived.
After a while, footsteps were heard outside the Hokage's office. Shimura Danzō pushed the door open and entered.
"Sarutobi, you were looking for me? What is it?" Danzō asked impatiently as he entered. But when he saw Minato standing there, his pupils shrank. He was extremely shocked.
"It wasn't me who was looking for you; Minato wanted to see you." Seeing Danzō had arrived, Hiruzen looked at Minato curiously. He also noticed Danzō's expression.
"Old geezer, don't tell me you don't know why I'm looking for you," Minato said, confronting Danzō before he could even ask.
"Namikaze Minato, watch your attitude! I am a Konoha Elder. What do you mean by that?" The term "old geezer" instantly ignited Danzō's anger. His face was now extremely grim.
Hiruzen didn't say anything, just watched. He believed Minato wouldn't seek trouble with Danzō for no reason. He had some suspicions.
Minato didn't say more. He took out the storage scroll and tossed the four corpses in front of Shimura Danzō.
"Don't tell me you don't know these people." Pointing at the four bodies, Minato looked at Danzō mockingly. Trying to kill me with these people? Dream on.
"Namikaze Minato, what is the meaning of this? Why bring a few dead people here? And you must explain your previous rudeness to me!" Danzō only glanced at the bodies on the floor before looking away, instead questioning Minato. His mental fortitude was abnormally strong, as expected of someone who had controlled Root for so many years.
"It doesn't matter if you don't admit it." Minato knew Danzō would deny it, so he turned to Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"Hokage-ojisan, can you help me check the identities of these people? They attacked me during my mission."
Sarutobi Hiruzen took a deep drag from his pipe. He was now certain of his previous guess: Danzō had sent people to attack Minato. If he couldn't see this, he had no business being Hokage.
"Go check the archives," Hiruzen turned and said to an Anbu.
"Yes." The Anbu went forward, examined the four people, and left to check the archives.
The Hokage's office fell silent. The three men said nothing, all waiting for the result.
Shimura Danzō, the one being targeted, looked calm and unbothered, as if he had already prepared a way out.
Before long, the Anbu returned, bringing the files for the 4 bodies on the floor.
After Hiruzen read them, his anger flared.
"Smack!" Hiruzen slammed his hand heavily on the desk.
"Danzō! You have some explaining to do! These four are all Root members!"
"These four are my Root members, that's correct. But I don't know what they did to end up dead. Namikaze Minato, you'd better give me an explanation. Why are these four dead?" Danzō immediately turned the tables. They're dead anyway. There's no proof I sent them to kill Minato.
"Didn't you just deny knowing them? Now you know them?" Minato stared intently at Danzō.
"There are so many people in Anbu; how can I remember them all? After all, I am old. It's normal to forget some people," Danzō said unhurriedly.
"And you, stop avoiding the main point. How did these four die? They attacked you? Is that the truth?"
"Look at this information. These four were extremely strong. Could you kill them alone?"
"Or did you collude with ninja from another village to surround and kill them, and now you're trying to frame me?" Danzō opened his left eye, his gaze menacing, acting as if he wouldn't let this go until Minato explained clearly.
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